Portable grain elevator



Dec. 16, 1930. E. HARTMAN PORTABLE GRAIN ELEVATOR Filed Aug. 21, 1926 2Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 16, 1930. v HARTMAN 1,784,872

PORTABLE GRAIN ELEVATOR Filed Aug. 21, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented1).... 16, 1930 UNITED STATES EDWARD HARTHAN, OI'SAEI'IDW'IGHI,ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO SANDWICH MANUFAC TUBING 00., A CORPORATION 01ILLINOIS PORTABLE GRAIN ELEVATOR Application filed August 21, 1928.Serial No. 130,759.

This invention relates to elevators for grain and the like and moreparticularly to por-' table grain elevators.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of new andimproved means for adjustably mounting an elevator mechanism on itssupporting truck.

Another object of the invention is the'provision of an elevator with newand improved adjusting .mechanism for the same that is cheap tomanufacture, easily assembled, readily adjusted, rugged in construction,that is not likely to become broken or get out of order.

Other and further objects'and advantages of the invention will appearfrom the following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings in which- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portable grainelevator showing-the invention in position thereon g Fig. 2 is avertical section of the elevator substantially on the line 22 of Fig.4:;

Fig. 3 is a detail view showing the snail gear for elevating theelevator; and

Fi 4 is a section on the line f11 of Fig. 2;

' Re erring now to the drawings in which the same reference charactersare employed to indicate the same parts throughout the drawings, thenumeral 10 designates a truck having thefront axle 11, the rear axle 12,wheels 13 therefor andthe connecting members or frame 14. The frame 14is adapted to be adjusted in length to accommodate elevators of variouslengths as is usual in such constructions. The front axle 11 is rovidedwith a riser member 15, see Fig. 2, rigidly connected thereto. Anelevator support or bolster 16 is mounted on said riser and is pivotedto said riser and axle as by the king bolt 17. The coupling pole 18 ofthe frame 14 is rigidly connected to said support 16. A brace19 rigidlyconnected to said coupling pole extends beneath said axle and ispivotally mounted on said king in 17 An elevator- 21 is pivotally andslidably mounted on said support 16. The elevator 21 comprises a trunkmember 22 and a. return or pan member 23 in which operates the convoyorcomprising the endless chains 24 carrying the drag plates 25 forelevating the grain deuniversalor knuckle 'oints 28. The extension 29 ofthe power sha t 27 is adapted to operate a wagon dump mechanism notshown for elevating the front end of a wagon for dumping the graincontained therein into the hopper 26 from which it is discharged intosaid elevator.

It is necessary to raise and lower the rear end of the elevator toaccommodate bins or cribs having openings or doorways at various heightsfrom the ground. In order that the device be sufficiently stable to beproperly operated, it is necessary that the lower or front end of theelevator be in contact with the ground or floor. But in order that thismay be done, it is necessary that the elevator be longitudinallyadjustable along its support. If, for instance, the rear or up er end ofthe elevator 21 be lowered from t e position shown in Fig; 1, the front,lower, or boot ground or floor, unless the whole elevator be slidforwardly.

The means for moving the elevator forwardly will now be descrlbed. Ashaft 32 is rotatably mounted in the support 16 directly .end 31,thereof, will be raised above the I above the axle 11 and is providedwith the pinions 33 and 34 which are in engagement with racks 35 and 36rigidly secured to the under side of said elevator 21. Keepers 37 and 38prevent disengagement of saidracks and "pinions and also prevent lateralmovement of said elevator.

Suitable means are provided for rotating the shaft 32. As shown, a handlever 39 is pivotally mounted on the shaft 32. The lever 39 is providedwith a keeper 41 in which is slidably mounteda spring-pressed latch'memher 42 which is adapted to engage the teeth of a ratchet wheel 43for hol ing the lever fixed to said wheel for turning said shaft.

I The latch is operated in the usual manner by ,pivoted member 46. Apawl and ratchet 44 and,45, respectively, are adapted to hold the 1shaft 32 in 'ad'usted position.

The pivote lever 39 may be adjusted to the most advantageous positionabout the ratchet wheel 43 for rotating the shaft 32 in eitherdirection. The lever 39 being mounted above the axle 11, it isaccessible from either front or the rear'of said axle. This isconsidered an important feature of the invention because of theaccessibility of said lever. Furthermore, by mounting the lever and theshaft 32 adjacent to the forward portion of the elevator, there will bea minimum amount of raising and lowering of the front end of theelevator when the rear end is raised or lowered.

Suitable means are provided for raising and lowering the rear endoftheelevator. As

shown, this means comprises a pair of derrick members or su ports 47 and48 pivoted at their lower en s to the truck and connected at their upperendsby the cross member 49. A pair of cables 51 and 52 secured to thecross member 49 and to the lower end of the elevator will limit therearward swinging movement of the supports 47 and 48.

The rear or upper end of the elevator 21 is provided with a bail 53which is pivoted thereto. An elevating cable 54 having its upper end.connected to a pulley 55 secured to the bail 53 extends over a pulley 56mounted on. the cross member 49 and beneath said pulley 55 and has itslower end wound on a drum 57. The drum 57 is adapted to be rotated by acrank 58 and gear members 59 and 61 to wind and unwind the cable forraising and lowering the elevator. The gear member 59 is in the form -ofa spiral which is adapted to engage the teeth on the gear 61 asindicated'in Fig. 3. By means of this gear which for convenience will betermed a snail gear, the elevator will be held in any adjusted positionof the crank 58.

When it is desired to lower the elevator from the position shown in Fig.1,-the crank 58 is rotated to unwind the cable 54 and when the elevatorhas been lowered a suflicient distance, the elevator is slidlongitudinally downward by manipulating the lever 39 and the pawl 44until the lower end of the elevatflor comes in contact with the gi oundor the oor.

When it is desired to move the device from one place to another, theelevator 21 is lowered onto the supports 62 and 63carried by the rearaxles. In the meantime the elevator may have been moved forwardly by thelever, 39 if desired. The supporting memberspr standards 47 and 48 arethen lowered forwardly the hopper 26 is swung upwardly and a pawl andratchet for holding sald shaft in downwardly onto the elevator and thepower shaft is disconnected at joints 28. An suitable power means maythen be attac ed to the truck for moving t e same to the desiredposition.

The trunk and pan members of the elevator may be of any materialsuitable. Preferably they are formed from sheet metal and that theconstruction and operation of my de-' vice will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art, and that various changes in size, shape, proportionand details of construction may e made without departin from the spiritand scope of the appende claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination, a truck com rising front and rear axle assemblies, aolster member, a coupling member secured to said rear axle assembly,means for pivotally connecting the forward end of said coupling memberto said front axle assembly, means for pivotally mounting said bolstermember on said front axle assembly, a shaft j ournaled in said bolster,a pair of pinions on said shaft, an elevator, a rack bar secured to eachside of said elevator adjacent to the front end thereof for engagingsaid pinions for slidably adjusting said elevator longitudinally,keepers for holding said pinions in engagement with the rack, a leverpivoted to said shaft, 9. toothed wheel for rotating the same,

adjusted position, and means for raising and lowering the rear end ofsaid elevator.

2. In combination, a truck comprising front and rear axle assemblies, acoupling member secured to said rear axle assembly means for pivotallyconnecting the forward end of said member to said front axle assemiosbly, a bolster member movabl mounted on said front axle assembly, a shajournaled in said bolster member, an elevator, means for slidably andpivotally mounting the forward portion of said elevator on said shaft,means for adjusting said elevator along said shaft, a pair of supportscarried by said rear axle assembly and movable to upright position,hoisting means connected to said. supports and elevator, andnon-reversible winding means cooperating with said hoisting means andmounted on the forward portion of said elevator for raising and loweringthe rear end of said elevator.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

. EDWARD HARTMAN.

